THE frail frame of Bhagwan Devi, 76, a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s (UP’s) Shyamo village near Agra, is animated and angry as she raises her fists and shouts expletives. “My husband died and now the Thakur goons have taken over my land,” the agitated woman yells as she sits on a plastic chair, her two sons trying hard to contain her outburst. Bhagwan Devi alleges that the village pradhan (chief ) and lekhpal (village accountant), who belong to the upper caste community, had asked her for Rs 50,000 as a bribe to help her get back her land. “I have not eaten since morning and have walked 5 km to Agra on foot to meet the vidhayika ji (legislator). I will not leave until I get justice,” she states.
Her assertions are directed at the Agra (rural) MLA, Baby Rani Maurya, who sits across the table from Bhagwan Devi and her sons, patiently listening to her ordeal. Maurya—a cabinet minister in the Yogi Adityanath government with the women and child development department portfolio—holds Bhagwan Devi’s hand and implores her to calm down. She asks them to give her an application meant for the SDM which she signs and directs her officials to call the lekhpal and bring him to book. She says she would have done it herself, but she has a flight to catch. “I’m traveling to Bhopal on official work,” she tells Outlook, while rushing through her daily sabha which she holds in the foyer of her residence-cum-office in the Sabzi Mandi area of Agra. Amid hearing pleas—mostly pertaining to property or land-related disputes—and signing documents, Maurya finds time to attend to neighbours, who bring their children in school uniforms to meet her.
Denne historien er fra October 11, 2023-utgaven av Outlook.
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Denne historien er fra October 11, 2023-utgaven av Outlook.
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The 'Invisible' Dalits
The debate over sub-categorisation of castes is likely to shape the political discourse in the upcoming state elections
Caste Census: To Conquer Or Conserve?
The caste census is generating heated debate, but even its most ardent proponents are not able to articulate a plan about how to use the resulting data
THE FATEFUL COMEDY
Actor-director Rajat Kapoor talks about adapting Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov into a Hindi play
Mad Hatter
When a leader takes off his topi and holds it in his hands while appealing for votes, it signals something extraordinary
Circle Within Circles
The caste question in Muslims.
Backward March
The Maratha reservation question may continue to mire the next government in the state
The 69% Exception
Quota within quota: lessons to be learned from Tamil Nadu
United Indifference
The perils of tweaking tribal identities
Two Nations, Two Destinies
The widely differing balance of power between the military and civilian leadership in India and Pakistan has significantly impacted democracy in the two countries
Crème de la Crème
The mainstream society thinks reservations are against right to equality. It’s high time they are seen in the context of right to justice.
